Like Mother Like Daughter?
by Talalasis
Summary: Shadesoul was exiled from her clan for killing a clanmate, and she wants her revenge. Amber has been raised thinking that Birchclan is evil, and must be destroyed. When she joins Birchclan and sees the truth, can she stop her family before it's too late? Rated T to be safe. First story, so don't be too critical
1. Allegiances

Birchclan:

Leader:

Redstar- Bright ginger tom with blazing green eyes

Deputy-

Pineclaw- Dark ginger tom with amber eyes

Medicine Cat:

Brightleaf- Cream she-cat with green eyes

Medicine Cat Apprentice

Sandpaw- Cream she-cat with blue eyes

Warriors:

Thistlesoul- Dark grey tom with amber eyes

Icestride- White tom with blue eyes- Lizardpaw

Goldenshadow- Tawny she-cat with amber eyes

Mousefern- Light brown she-cat with green eyes

Dovescar- Pale grey she-cat with green eyes

Mothtear- Silver she-cat with blue eyes

Briarshade- Light brown she-cat with green eyes

Loneclaw- Black tom with yellow eyes

Ashwing- Light grey she-cat with amber eyes

Harewind- White tom with blue eyes

Ivyleap- Tortiseshell she-cat with amber eyes- Nightpaw

Mistytide- Light grey she-cat with blue eyes

Sunspark- Ginger tom with green eyes

Cricketleap- Light brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Apprentices:

Nightpaw- Black she-cat with green eyes

Lizardpaw- Dark grey tom with yellow eye

Queens:

Spottedflower- Tottiseshell she-cat with amber eyes- Mother of Lightkit and Moonkit

Skyfur- Blueish grey she-cat with blue eyes- Expecting kits

Vinelight- White she-cat with green eyes- Mother of Woodkit, Antkit and Bramblekit

Elders:

Halfglare- Dark grey tom with one green eye

Mudfoot- Dark brown tom with Amber eyes 


	2. Amber

Shade - Mother of Amber and Cloud - Dark grey she-cat with amber eyes

Cloud - Son of Shade - White tom with green eyes

Amber - Daughter of Shade - Silver tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Amber leaned farther back into the small hole between stacked boxes, her eyes wide with fear. From the entrance to the alley she heard a menacing voice, "Come on out, you know you stand no chance of hiding." A figure padded past her hiding spot, claws unsheathed and an angry look on their face. Amber crouched down as the other cat went past, then with a yowl launched herself towards the other cat. Her victim turned their head, but it was too late, and they quickly found themselves pinned by the small kit.

"I win!"

"No you don't!" Amber's intended victim kicked up their hind legs, throwing her off. They then tackled her, clawing her belly and sides. "OW! GET OFF!" The small she-cat in pain, the wounds on her stomach stinging badly. Her attacker slowly got off her, glaring angrily at Amber.

"That was easy, you're horrible at fighting!" Amber flinched, though she knew she couldn't fight well compared to her brother, his words still stung worse than her newly gotten wounds

"Cloud! Even if your sister is a horrible fighter, you don't need to rub it in."

"Sorry Mother."

"Now, I have some food for you both." The black she-cat carefully cut the fresh mouse into almost perfect halves, giving each kit a piece while making sure that Cloud got the larger portion. Amber ate her food quickly, giving herself a quick wash afterwards.

"Mother, could you finish your story from yesterday?"

"What was the story about again?"

"It was about how your brother got you exiled from Birchclan for killing a cat, even though they were evil." The black she-cat grinned faintly to herself before speaking, "Well, my brother Pineclaw, recongized my scen on the body of Flowertail, the evil cat that I was forced to kill. He told my mate, who was the clan leader, and I was exiled from the clan. If I was in their territory after nightfall that day, I was to be killed. Shortly after leaving, I went back to spy on the clan, and found that the leader had taken a new mate, a cat by the name of Spottedflower. It was the very same day that I realized I was expecting kits, so I came here, and lived on my own until you two were born, and now here we are."

"Cloud, Amber, the main reason I tell you this is because one day, when you are older, you will be the tools of my revenge. You will destroy Birchclan."


	3. Attacked?

Amber opened her eyes to the same brick wall that greeted her each morning. She stood up and stretched, yawning. Cloud still slept behind her, so the silver she-cat decided to go out and play on her own. The sun shone into the alley and Amber basked in its welcoming glow. A snarl from just outside the alley make Amber turn her head.

What she saw was not a pretty sight. Shade was standing over two thin and terrified looking cats that were quivering in fear. Even as she watched, Shade, her mother, unsheathed her claws and slit the throat of the smaller. The other stared in horror as their friend fell to the ground in a small pool of blood, dead.

"Leave this territory, now." Shade's voice was quiet, yet commanding, and the still living intruder fled, only glancing back once as they ran for their life.

The black she-cat daintily cleaned off her claws, and then picks up the dead cat's front paw, causing the claws to unsheathe, and dragged it along her side, causing dark fur to come off in the claws. Amber ducked back into the den, having seen more than enough. She quickly curled up and pretended to be asleep.

A moment later, Amber heard a shriek of pain. Cloud stood up, "What was that noise?" Without waiting for an answer, he raced out from under the dumpster they slept in, leaving Amber behind to follow.

"Mother!" Cloud was next to Shade, eyes wide and full of fear as he saw her lying in a small pool of blood next to the cat Amber saw her mother kill. Shade struggled to her feet, panting lightly.

"I'm all right." Cloud was clearly soothed by his mother's reassuring voice, unlike Amber, who was staring at the dead cat in horror. _Those cats, they were afraid, and helpless. Why did Shade kill one of them? And why did she make it look like she was attacked?_


	4. Forest

**Thanks to Oci Oceana and Moose Blood for reviewing!**

Amber thought over the story her mother had told to her and Cloud two nights ago.

_If she lied about being attacked, then could she have lied about Birchclan? Maybe the cat she killed wasn't evil at all, and had just witnessed something they shouldn't have. Then she would have been exiled for a good reason!_ The thought scared her, that her loving mother, who always paid more attention to Cloud, just because he was a better fighter, would kill a cat in cold blood.

Actually, it didn't seem that that far off, and it certainly fit her mother's recent behavior.

"Hey Amber, Mother is going to teach us to hunt!" Cloud's voice shook Amber out of her thoughts, and she looked up at him.

"Hunting? Let's go!" Forgetting all of her misgivings about her mother, Amber hopped up and scampered out of the alleyway. Shade stood up from where she was sitting as the kit emerged, "Good, now that you're both here, we can go." She padded towards a fence riddles with paw sized holes, and then disappeared.

Amber looked around surprised, then saw the hole on the bottom of the fence, which her mother had gone through. Cloud ducked under the fence, quickly followed by his sister. Amber emerged from the short tunnel to see a large forest stretching beyond her. It was filled with delicious smells and beautiful sights, almost enough to overwhelm her.

"One day, all this will be yours, once you destroy Birchclan." Cloud nodded eagerly to this, and Amber forced herself to do the same.

"I will take cloud to hunt in the forest. Amber, stay here and practice your fighting moves." At this, Shade trotted off, Cloud at her heels, leaving Amber alone.

Amber glanced around, still taking in everything. The sun was high in the sky, and she could hear birds chirping. The wind in the trees was a comforting sound to her, nothing like the howling sound breezes made in the alley.

A rustling in the bushes beside her made Amber turn towards the sound, only to be tackled to the ground by a dark ginger tom.

"What are you doing on Birchclan territory?"


	5. Scented

**Thanks to Angel Girl and Miss Wings, and Oci Oceana for reviewing! **

Amber stared up into the snarling face of a large, dark ginger tom. He had a notch in his left ear, suggesting that he had seen battle before, and could kill her easily if he wanted. The young cat let out a small squeak of fear, shivering at the sight of what she was sure would be her death.

"Pineclaw, it's just a kit." A light brown she-cat spoke, and Amber was surprised at how gentle she looked, compared to the tom. Pineclaw glared at Amber for a moment, before sighing and lifting the paw that was holding her down.

Amber scrambled to her feet, and prepared to run away, only to see that the she-cat from before was behind her.

"Why are you out here little kit? Are you lost?" Her voice was gentle, but Amber could see she was every bit as capable of a fighter as the tom.

"I-I was waiting for my mother and brother to finish hunting." The kit stammered, staring at the other cat with wide eyes.

Amber suddenly froze, remembering her mother's story. _She said his name was Pineclaw! Could it be the same one? _ Pineclaw had asked her why she was on Birchclan territory when he found her, and Shade had said she was from Birchclan! _What if she was right about Birchclan being evil? They might kill me!_

"Are you all right, kit?" Amber spun around to see Pineclaw, a surprisingly concerned expression on his face.

"I-I-I'm fine." The tom looked unconvinced, "Briarshade, maybe we should take her to see Brightleaf."

Amber was stunned at his sudden change of attitude , as he leaned down towards her. He gently sniffed her, and seemed to leap straight up into the air, a horrified expression on his face. Briarshade looked as surprised as the kit at his reaction

"Pineclaw, are you all right?" The she-cat was clearly concerned, so it must not be normal for him to do that.

"The kit smells like **her**." At this statement, Briarshade sniffed Amber, and took a step back, the surprise of Pineclaw copied onto her face. When she spoke, her voice did not sound as gentle, and was tinged with a tone that sounded a little bit like fear,

"Who is your mother?"

"My mother's name is Shade." Amber flattened herself against the ground at this, certain that she was going to die.

Pineclaw padded over to Briarshade, and they began to converse in low tones. Amber managed to catch some words, and from what she could tell, they were discussing what they would do about her.

Finally, the pair turned back to her, and Pineclaw mewed,

"We have decided to take you back to camp."


	6. Camp

The journey was extremely tiring. Amber's shorter legs made her have to work miny times as hard as the two older cats, and not even halfway to the Birchclan camp, she had to be carried by Pineclaw. Though it took time, Amber thought the sight of the camp was worth the time spent getting there.

Cats were everywhere! Kits tussled together in the clearing, and older cats ate prey in the shade of trees around the camp. At first everything was noisy, and happy, but many cats stopped to look at her as she passed.

She was set down in the middle of the large clearing, and a bright ginger tom approached them.

"Pineclaw, who is this?" The words were part challenge, part greeting, and Amber immediately figured out that he was the leader. However, Pineclaw seemed unperturbed.

"She is a rouge kit we found in the forest. We thought it best that we take her back here, as she is too young to survive on her own."

The large ginger tom nodded slowly, "I would like to speak to the kit in my den." Pineclaw looked surprised for a moment, but stepped away from Amber, as the leader turned and began walking to a cave in the back of the clearing. The kit scrambled up and quickly walked after him.

As she entered the cave, and her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw a large nest and an uneaten hare in the back of the den. The tom sat down, and she quickly copied him.

"Pineclaw can be a bit intimidating, can't he?" His question surprised Amber, and it was all she could do to nod.

"I am Redstar, leader of Birchclan. And, if I am correct, you are my former mate's daughter." _How did he know who my mother is right away?_ Almost as if he could read Amber's mind, Redstar smiled faintly, "I smelled her on you."

Amber stared at him, unsure what to say. Redstar seemed to take that as a signal she was waiting for him to continue, and spoke again, "What kind of stories has she told you, that would inspire such fear of Birchclan in you?" He blinked suddenly, and smiled faintly to himself, before picking up the plump hare next to him and setting it before Amber.

"I am not sure where my manners have gone today, you must be starved." Amber nodded vaguely, and pounced on the hare, eating as fast as she could. It was true that she didn't get enough food, Cloud always got the larger and more nourishing parts of whatever Shade caught for them. _Why is he being kind to me? Birchclan is supposed to be evil!_ As quick as the thought came to mind, she pushed it away, everyone here seemed perfectly nice, opposite of what she had learned from her mother's stories.

"What is your name?" Like almost everything he had said to her, it was surprising. Amber stopped in her eating, already about halfway finished, and answered him.

"My name is Amber."

Redstar gazed at her for a long moment before speaking.

"Well, Amber, daughter of Shadesoul, how would you like to join Birchclan?"


	7. Friendly

**Thanks for all the awesomesauceness reviews! **

Amber hesitated, why was he asking her this so soon? She already wanted to join, just from seeing the happiness around Birchclan's camp, but she wasn't sure if she wanted to join at that exact moment.

"Can I think about it?" Redstar nodded, and stood up, " I think you are a little older than my kits, who will be apprentices tomorrow. Would you like to stay with them in the nursery until then? If we do that, then we can have your apprentice ceremony right away." Redstar paused, before adding, "If you decide to join, that is." Amber followed the older tom's example and stood as well, "That sounds good to me."

The pair exited the den, and Redstar stopped for a moment just outside the cave, saying relatively loudly, "Amber will be staying with us until tomorrow, where she will decide whether she would like to stay with the clan or not. I ask that you be kind to her." with that, the ginger cat began walking to the entrance to what at first glance looked to be a thicket of bushes and thorns, but was quickly revealed to be a den, which Redstar went inside.

Amber quickly followed him in, and almost gasped in surprise. What she thought was a tangle of leaves, sticks and brambles was actually a comfortable looking den. Two cats, one white, the other tortoiseshell, were in the den with a few kits. Two of them looked to be about Amber's age, the others much younger.

"Vinelight, Spottedflower, this is Amber. If it is all right with you, she will be staying in here for the night." At this, the tortoiseshell smiled at Amber, "Welcome Amber. We would be glad to have you stay with us." The other queen, who Amber guessed to be Vinelight, nodded in agreement, smiling as well. Redstar looked around the nursery for a moment, before turning around and briskly padded out of the den.

Immediately, a white kit bounced up to Amber, who was standing near the entrance, shocked at how friendly the cats seemed to be.

"Hi, I'm Moonkit, this is my sister Sunkit." Moonkit gestured toward the other kit around the same size as her and Amber with her tail. "Welcome to the nursery!"


	8. Nursery

Vinelight and Spottedflower fussed over Amber, getting her some soft moss to sleep on, and more freshkill, even though the kit said she had already eaten. Dusk fell just after she arrived, and soon the queens were gathering up all of the kits from where they were playing outside and shepherding them into the nursery, where Amber already lay, attempting to get comfortable.

A silver she-cat, her belly heavy with unborn kits slipped into the den right after the horde of rambunctious kits. She noticed Amber immediately, and took the few steps that brought her right up to Amber's nest.

"Are you comfortable?" The soft voice surprised the visiting kit, and she fidgeted nervously.

"It's a lot more comfortable than where I slept before." The she-cat's expression grew curious, and she was swift to ask where Amber came from.

"Twolegplace. We lived under a place where twolegs throw the things they don't want anymore."

"We?"

"Y-Yes. Me, my brother Cloud, and my mother. " The silver cat's expression changed again, this time to concerned, "Do you know where your family is? Even though it's getting late, I could get one of the warriors to take you to them."

Amber shook her head, "I don't want to go home. At least, not yet. Cloud always got most of whatever my mother caught, and the ground was uncomfortable to sleep on. I also don't want the rouge that my mother killed the friend of coming back for revenge." The kit stopped, suddenly aware that she was confiding all her fears to the gentle looking she-cat, but was unable to keep from continuing for long.

"She also lied. She said that you were evil, and generally not nice cats. But you've been so kind to me, and I don't want to go back to living in a place where Cloud always gets the better of everything because he's bigger. I'm glad that Shade left me behind when she took Cloud off to hunt, because if she hadn't, I may not have been able to come here."

Amber paused again, out of breath from her rambling, and glanced around her. All the queens and kits were staring at her, and Vinelight had her tail curled around her kits- who's named Amber had learned were Woodkit, Antkit, and Beetlekit- and looked almost scared of Amber.

It occurred to the kit that they must have realized that her mother was a murderer, and were afraid of her because of it, so she hastened to make amends.

"I'm nothing like my mother. She is evil, and I really don't wanna be like her." Amber was shaking by then, and nearly jumped out of her fur when the silver she-cat wrapped her tail comfortingly around her.

"I can see that you are nothing like Shadesoul, Amber. No matter what your heritage is, you are welcome among us." The cat sent a death glare to all the others in the nursery, "And, we will not tell anyone who your parents are."

Vinelight mumbled something, then smiled weakly at the terrified kit, "I'm sorry I reacted the way I did, Amber. Flowertail was my sister, and I still mourn her loss to this day .And Skyfur, of course none of us will share this information. At will be our little secret." The cats began settling down for sleep once again, and Skyfur walked over to a soft ness, laying down on it and quickly falling asleep.

Amber had one last conscious thought before she too gave in to her exhaustion , _I'm going to join Birchclan!_


End file.
